Squirrels and Chickens?

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

A few days ago my bf was putting the girls away for the night and when he came back he said there was mice eating the chicken food... I thought great! MORE chicken food to buy!

Anywho-

I walked out to the coop last night to put the girls away when I heard a weird noise in the bushes- I thought something was trying to get them- when out popped a squirrel at full speed running right toward the coop, he slipped underneath and that's where he stayed.

So my question is... um... is it ok to let the squirrel live there? Do they transfer diseases? Will it eat the chicken food? How do I get rid of it?

 

[sabong]

get a shotgun and shot that bad boy...and yes he will cause your coop harm and he will cause your birds some harm...not by hurting them but he can give them worms and what not...and be sure to keep him out of your feed...that squirrel will eat your coop up...i just sit outside and pick em off with the .22 rifle...its not to loud to scare the birds out of laying

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I have a squirrel problem also! They squeeze thru the chain link fencing and help themselves.. Last night I found one of my brood hen's eggs missing and found it cracked just outside the run!! So now it's war!! they are going.

 

[whillergee]

Every time I've seen squirrels interested in getting into the chicken run, the ladies charge them and keep an eye on them until they leave. Especially the RIR - she's not at all squirrel tolerant. Nevertheless, we're closing in the whole run with bird netting, and we put up those pigeon deterrent spikes on top of the fence to block part of the squirrel highway. Dang rodents!